Coupler



E. P. KINNE' Oct. 30, 1934,

COUPLER ori inal Filed April 29, 1929 fizz/aria?- Edrmz/Zd P7507445 1 atented Oct. 30, 1934 media; (01. 213167) This invention pertains to coupler -mechanismand more particularly to means for operating; couplers from the side of a car, the present application being a division of" aco-pending" application SerialNo. 358,881 filed April29,-19 29;

An object of this invention is to improve the-- operation of couplers, and more particularly standard A. R. A. type" of couplers, in a manner whereby the coupler can alwaysbe-operated posilo atively andfeasily through the medium of the uncoupling" rod.

efiicient and inexpensive coupler operating; mechanism having cooperating parts so arranged that maximum lifting-force may be transmitted to the lockjor facilitatingpperation of thecoupler; 1

Still another object is to provide coupler mecha nism which will effect a; great saving; in the number of partsnow in use, as for instance,-the

2o elimination of slack devices between the operating rod and coupler lifter. a l e A further object isfto provide mico upling mechanism having lost motion provided therein to permit-thereturn of the operating handle toinoperative position upon release-thereof-but which has no substantial lostmotion between the uncoupling rod and-the coupler mechanism 1 operating the coupler to full knuckle throw positions, i

mechanismlwhich, eliminates/the slack therein to re ycut own hemovemen o heu c uplina: rod handle tomake it possible to reduce the length ofvvthe lifter arm at thecoupler endso that an increased-leverage of at least three-to-one may be obtained. 1 a

mechanism so disposed as to reduce thefheight ,of

the uncoupling rod to a position whereby the open: 10 ator can exert full force to the best advantage to increase the efiiciency of operation and wherebythe handleis so disposed thatit is removed from the horizontal position as much as possible to thereby decrease the liability of injury to the operator,

A difie ejtbbi ct st i r dg r Qpat ing mechanism which will fulfill all requirements of service and manufacture and in which the operating handle will always seek a position such at th e w l be no t n nc o disrupt h partsnor have any relative interference with the coupled cars or coupler parts;

With these; and various other objects in view,, the invention may consist of certain novel fea tures of construction and operation, as will be ,more fully described and particularly pointedwouti. in the specification, claims and drawing appended -hereto.' 1 1 l In the drawing, which illustrates an 'ment'ofthe device, and wherein likereference c 1 1 of-the mechanism shown in Figure 1 of the Another object is to provide simple, reliable;

Figures is aview in perspective of the fulcrum member of thepresent mechanism. t v.

Referringnow more in detail to thedrawing, an

embodiment selected to illustrate the present invention is shown inlconnection with a car body 2 v with Whichisassociateda striking casting/Lwhich is provided with suitable meansefor supporting a coupler fi the. coupler 6. beingprovided with a knuckle 8 pivoted to the coupler as by meanszpf:

a pivot pin or boltilo, thetlockwithin the coupler i 1 v, m 6 being operated byimeans ofa top lifter 12.11 Still .a ,further-lobject ,is to- ,pro.vide COUIJIED:

;plane-fulcrum supporting surface 15and oppositely disposed and spaced walls .17 and, 19, thewall 17 being constituted by a, rib or fin extending from adjacent the pivot pin lll'towardrthe rear 1. of the couplerheadandtapering. to merge with Yet a ,furtherobj ctv is to a provide coupler the, surface 15 substantiallyopposite the lifter l2. 1 The forward portion of this recess l3tis shallow in r construction and is. defined on the bottombyta, supporting surfaceZl which extends rearwardlyw andmerges witha stepped curvedsurface 23 which terminates in the lower surface 15 of the recess l a t a ,Mounted upon the coupler 6 and within the a recess 13 is a fulcrum member 14 which is pro vided withan intermediate portion 16-adapted to seat asat18 upon thesurface 15 of the coupler and a forwardly extending'portion 20 having its under surface conforming substantially to "thesurface portions 21 and 23,-the forward end of*'1o5 this portion- 20 being provided with an eye22, through whichthe pivot pin-10 passes for securing this fulcrum member 14 to the coupler. The intermediate portion 16 is provided with laterally extending lugs or wings 25 and 27 which are 111) adapted to engage the Walls 17 and 19, respectively, for holding said fulcrum member in place and to prevent lateral displacement, while the remaining portion of the intermediate portion 16 to the rear of the wings 25 and 27 has a laterally extending portion 29 which forms an enlarged surface for seating of this fulcrum member on the coupler head; The fulcrum member 14 is further formed with a rearwardly extending portion 24 which is provided with an elongated bearing 26 for supporting an end of an uncoupling rod 28. The bearing 26 is elongated to permit the coupler to assume various operating positions in angular relation to the operating rod 28 without causing a binding between the rod and bearing which would interfere with the easy operation of the uncoupling mechanism. Furthermore, the uncoupling rod at its inner end is permitted to move forwardly and rearwardly in the elongated bearing 26 so that the lifter 12 may be raised and lowered without binding in the opening to the lock cavity of the coupler head.

The uncoupling rod 28 is provided with a handled portion 30 and has its outer end suitably supported in a loose bearing 82 of a bracket 34 suitably secured in any desired manner to the car body 2. The uncoupling rod 28 extends inwardly from the bearing 32 and has its inner end journaled or supported in the elongated bearing 26 of the fulcrum member 14. Adjacent the fulcrum member 14, the uncoupling rod 28 is knuckled as at 36 and extends forwardly and outwardly therefrom, the outer end being formed with a loop 38 adapted to encircle the lifter l2 and 1 beneath the enlarged head 40 with which the lifter is provided.

It will thus be seen that by moving the handle 30 upwardly in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 3 of the drawing, the encircling loop portion 38 of the uncoupling rod is thereby moved upwardly to engage the enlarged head 40 of the lifter 12 to thereby raise the same and move the knuckle 8 to knuckle throw position, angling of the coupler 6 horizontally being permitted by the looseness provided in the bearings 26 and 32 of the fulcrum member 14 and bracket 34, respectively.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiment of the device Lshown, which is merely by way of illustration and not limitation, as various and other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In coupler mechanism, the combination of a coupler having a lifter, a knuckle, means for pivotally securing said knuckle to said coupler, said coupler being provided with a recess on the top portion thereof, a fulcrum member secured within said recess by said means, said recess being adapted to hold said member and prevent lateral movement thereof, and an operating rod supported by said member for operating said lifter.

2. In coupler mechanism, the combination of a coupler having a lifter, a knuckle, a pin pivotally securing said knuckle to said coupler, said coupler being provided with a recess on the top portion thereof and extending rearwardly from said pivot pin, a fulcrum member having a part disposed within said recess and secured to said coupler by said pivot pin, said recess being adapted to hold said member and prevent lateral movement thereof, and an operating rod supported by said member for operating said lifter.

3. In coupler mechanism, the combination of a coupler having a lifter, a knuckle, a pin pivotally securing said knuckle to said coupler, said coupler being provided with a recess on the top portion thereof and extending rearwardly from said pivot pin, said recess increasingly varying in width at the rear thereof to receive portions of a fulcrum member, a fulcrum member having a part disposed within said recess and secured to said coupler by said pivot pin, said member having laterally extending lugs engaging oppositely disposed Walls of said recess to brace said member and prevent lateral displacement thereof, and an operating rod supported by said member for operating said lifter.

4. In coupler mechanism, the combination of a coupler having a lifter, a knuckle, a pin pivotally securing said knuckle to said coupler, said coupler being provided with a recess on the top portion thereof and extending rearwardly from said pivot pin, a fulcrum member having a part disposed Within said recess, said member being provided with an eye at one end engaged by said pivot pin and a bearing at the other end thereof, said member having an intermediate portion seating on said coulper, said recess being adapted to hold said intermediate portion and prevent lateral movement thereof, and an operating rod supported in said bearing for operating said lifter.

5. In coupler mechanism, the combination of a coupler having a lifter, a knuckle, a pin pivot-- ally securing said knuckle to said coupler, said coupler having a recess on the top portion thereof, said recess originating in a shallow portion adjacent said pivot pin and terminating rearwardly in a relatively deep portion forming a seat for a fulcrum member, a fulcrum member having an intermediate portion seating on said coupler and disposed in said relatively deep portion and a forwardly extending arm disposed in said shallow portion and being connected to said pivot pin, said recess being adapted to hold said intermediate portion and prevent lateral movement thereof, said member having an arm extending rearwardly from said intermediate portion and having a bearing therein, and an operating rod journalled in said bearing for operation of said lifter.

6. A fulcrum member for coupler mechanism and the like, comprising a body portion having a seating surface, lugs extending laterally of said body portion, and oppositely disposed arm portions extending from said body portion and being spaced in relation to the plane of said seating surface, one of said arms having means for securing said member to a coupler and the other of said arms having means for supporting an operating rod.

'7. A fulcrum member for coupler mechanism and the like, comprising a body portion having a seating surface, and oppositely disposed arm portions extending from said body portion and being spaced in relation to the plane of said seating surface, one of said arms being provided with a hearing, and means on the other of said arms for securing said member to a coupler.

8. A fulcrum member for coupler mechanism and the like, comprising a body portion having a seating surface, lugs extending laterally of said body portion, and oppositely disposed arm pcrtions extending from said body portion and being spaced in relation to the plane of said seating surface, one of said arms being provided with an elongated bearing, and the other of said arms terminating in an eye for securing said member to a coupler.

9. In coupler mechanism, the combination of a coupler having a lifter, a knuckle, a pin pivota1- 1y securing said knuckle to said coupler, a fulcrum member having a part secured to said pivot pin and a part seating on said coupler, said member extending rearwardly of said pivot pin and being provided with a bearing for an operating rod, spaced stops disposed on said coupler engaging thefulcrum member in spaced relation to said pivot pin to prevent lateral movement thereof about said pivot pin, and an operating rod supported in said bearing for operating said lifter.

EDMUND P. KINNE. 

